For storage facility owners, self-storage door maintenance is important. This routine maintenance prevents costly future repairs, saving you money in the long-run. It also keeps your facility looking clean and inviting.

When tenants move out of the units, it’s important to inspect the self-storage roll-up door and perform maintenance to get the unit ready for the next tenant.

Inspection

When a tenant moves out of the unit, you have the perfect opportunity to inspect the roll-up door to make sure that all of the components are functioning as they should. Here are a few things that you should check:

• Make sure the guide strips are still firmly attached to the door guides
• Look at the axle when the door is rolled down to make sure the cotter pins are still in place

Routine Maintenance

Clean Your Self-Storage Doors

When choosing where to store their valuables, potential customers are more likely to pick a facility that looks well-maintained. Keeping your self-storage doors clean is important for both the aesthetic of your facility and the overall longevity of the door.

You should regularly inspect the paint on your self-storage doors for signs of corrosion, fading and oxidation. Doing this can help prevent costly repairs in the future and prolong the life of your roll-up door.

To clean the doors, use a microfiber cloth to wipe them down with mild soap and water or a mineral spirit. This should remove any dirt, smudges or chalky oxidation which could get on a customer’s hands or clothing.

Beyond just making the doors look great, it’s important to clean several components of your self-storage roll-up doors to keep them in great working shape.

First, you should clean the guide strips with the WD-40, removing any dirt or debris that has built up over time and allowing the door to operate more smoothly.

Lubricate the Spring

One of the most common components of a roll-up door that requires replacement or maintenance is the spring. To prolong the life of the spring and operation of the door, it’s important that you lubricate the springs as often as you can or at least every six months to a year.

To do this, stand inside the storage unit with the door rolled down and spray the spring with white lithium grease.

Adjust the Spring Tension

For the proper operation of your self-storage roll-up doors and the safety of your tenants, it’s important to regularly adjust the spring tension of the door.

If the spring tension of the door is too hot, the door will automatically start rolling up as soon as you undo the latch and as you assist with rolling it up, the door will shoot up. If there’s not enough tension in the spring, the door will be difficult to roll up.

To adjust the spring tension of your door, insert a 5/16th inch Allen wrench into the drive. To reduce the tension, turn it clockwise. To increase tension, turn it counter-clockwise.

We suggest that you check the spring tension every 6 months to a year or every time a tenant moves out of the unit.

To learn more door maintenance for self-storage roll-up doors, contact your local DBCI representative.